What is emergence? What does 'emergent' mean?

The word “emerging” is often used colloquially to mean something like “giving rise to” or “becoming apparent”. But emerging, emergent, and emergence are also technical terms. In this video, I want to explain what physicists mean by emergence, which is also the way that the expression is often, but not always, used by philosophers.

[mohamedahmedeltohfa]

I love that Dr. Sabine talks about everything related to foundations of physics and its puzzling semi-philosophical issues. I am glad to know about this channel.

[intervibist]

Clearest explanation of emergence I've ever heard. I feel like I really understand it now. Thank you, Sabine!

[jengleheimerschmitt]

You have some of the absolute best science / physics content. Impeccable. Thank you.

[ryanlyle]

The “wave” at sporting events analogy was perfect. Especially to us that remember what sporting events were like.

[mahoneytechnologies]

Sabine I am reading your book “ Lost in Math “ again, New Meaning and Ideas are Are Emerging every page I read, every time I read it! Thank You 👍🦊

[janbormans]

In the lockdown times, I look forward to your weekly videos more than ever. Thank you!

[robertkelly]

The only person that I've heard explain not only emergence in a way that I understood, but her explanation on the loss of information from a black hole made more sense than anyone else I found. I've been in the wine business for thirty years. Often people talk about aspects of a wine without any idea what the words they are saying mean. I feel the same way about emergence and information paradox.

[mad_gamer]

I watch your videos to learn new things even if I do not fully comprehend the topic. Keep up producing your videos.

[hrperformance]

That was a really concise video! Emergence in this context is a new word for me! But it is definitely something I'll consider from now on when thinking about natural phenomena.
Thanks very much for posting this Sabine! All the best to you and everyone else here. If we have to stay at home, what better thing to do than think about the universe! 😁

[brianfoley]

The best example of a brilliant mind is the ability to explain important concepts to someone like me....Thank You.

[XEinstein]

I actually started watching your videos, Sabine, after I saw you in a YouTube video having a discussion with Erik Verlinde when I was searching for as much information that I could find about his emergent gravity ideas. I feel I've come full circle now with your emergence video.

[johnnyragadoo]

So refreshing. I liked the way she used the term “periodically” in the sense of repetitive or cyclic movement without having to explain her usage. The meaning was naturally emergent from context.

[stanleyklein]

Simplistic. emergence is taken as either a predictable interaction (e.g., conductivity) or a property or event not predictable for knowledge of the constituents (i.e., strong emergence -- cf Broad, 1925). In the latter case, the concept is a tautology (how do we know when consciousness will emerge from neural organization? When that organization is sufficiently complex. When will it be sufficiently complex? When consciousness emerges).

The general ideas are so watered down ("watered" actually can be taken as a strong emergent property of hydrogen and oxygen in correct combination; of course this "property" brings in tow the question of the physical reality of the emergent property of wetness).



Anyway, if, like far too many, you like fast food for thought, this is a video for you.

[MrDiaxus]

Gotta say, I'm a free will proponent and this is one of the strongest arguments I've heard. That said, it's not without faults. Take neurology for instance. We have mapped the entire brain and have found no properties that would create emergent consciousness that I am aware of. A neurologist told me about the emerging dialogue that this has produced. If this stands we have not only at least one thing that shows strong emergence, but that thing is most relevant to understanding anything at all.

[harrykirk]

That was really good for me - the discussion of strong/weak emergence. Very clarifying and motivating. I'll remember that.

[slash]

Whether you count something as "strong emergence" rather depends on what you count as an "explanation".

[MichaelPiz]

Aw, come on! You can't drop a bomb like "consciousness is weakly emergent" and not elaborate! Now I am sad.

;)

[schontasm]

Isn't the problem that the universe itself is so strongly emergent, that it's difficult, metaphorically, to measure all the ripples on its surface ?

[secondprime]

Very Informative and to the point, as always. Thank you Sabine!

[CoranceLChandler]

This video is going in my library. I will have to review it later; this is beyond fascinating and very well summarized.